Index:
2008 Emilio Rojo 90/100
2009 Do Fereiro Albarino “Cepas Vellas” 93/100
2011 Do Fereiro Albarino “Cepas Vellas” 92/100
2011 Terroir Al Limit “Pedra de Guix,” Priorat 88+/100
2012 Clos Nilin Priorat “Grallatops,” Priorat 91/100
2012 Emilio Rojo 93/100
2013 Albamar Finca E Pereiro, Rias Baixas 93/100
2013 Castell d’Encus Talern “Taleria” Saugivnon Blanc/Semillon 93/100
2013 Do Fereiro Cepas Vellas, Rias Baixas 92/100
2013 Valdesacia “Akilia,” Bierzo 92/100
Equipo Navazos Palo Cortado No. 48 94/100
WHITE WINES
2011 DO FEREIRO ALBARINO “CEPAS VELLAS”
Lemon rind and ocean water aroma. Nice salinity. Lime and quince notes on the palette. Lean body but lingering finish. Grassy notes in the medium-long finish. This is like a Muscadet with more fruit. A little less structure than the really excellent 2010 but this should put on some weight as it ages. 12.5% alcohol. 92/100
2009 DO FEREIRO ALBARINO “CEPAS VELLAS”
Grassy nose. Good cut and minerality blends well with tart summer fruit, pipen apple, quince. Harmonious and balanced with remarkable salinity in the finish. One of the best Spanish white. 93/100
2008 EMILIO ROJO
Slighty oxidative, spring flowers and rubber aroma. Clean and intense and complex tart pit-stony fruit and the finish has stony minerality and apricot skin. Elegant. Should be consumed in a year or two. 90/100
2012 EMILIO ROJO
Stone fruits and citrus and floral, very refreshing nose. Balanced, crisp and elegant which develops weight during the meal. One can talk about a hint of minerality in the finish. I like this wine young which may be the most interesting Spanish white. 93/100
2013 CASTELL D’ENCUS TALERN “TALERIA” SAUVIGNON BLANC/SEMILLON
A very good sauvignon from a small producer in Costers del Segro appellation in Lleida, Cataluniy. It is salty and mineral and lean with noteworthy electric acidity. Clearly a cold climate. The winemaker is Raul Bobet, former winemaker of Torres. 93/100
2013 ALBAMAR FINCA E PEREIRO, RIAS BAIXAS
A very good Galician Alborino. It has a saline citrus aroma, medium plus acidity, good nervosity and mineraliy and a medium long finish. It is lean but not thin, has good mouthfeel with a medium long finish. 93/100
2013 DO FEREIRO CEPAS VELLAS, RIAS BAIXAS
We find this wine to be always consistent with a chalky minerality, freshly cut grass and herbal aroma. 2013 is a little thin but it still has good cut and taut. It finishes with agrumes notes. It should age a bit more to put on weight and become rounder. 92/100
2012 CLOS NILIN PRIORAT “GRALLATOPS”, PRIORAT
An interesting blend of white Grenache, macabeo, pinot noir, pedro ximenez, marsanne and viognier. Dark yellow color, rich and praline like nuttiness and honeyed texture. Marsanne and PX seem to dominate. It is smooth and very good acidity keeps it fresh and interesting. 91/100
2011 TERROIR AL LIMIT “PEDRA DE GUIX”, PRIORAT
I was less impressed with this wine than Clos Nilin altought I like their reds. It seems like a stage in a particular experiment, a broad shouldered and tannic white Grenache and Grenache which displays dried apple and pear, nuts and some fat but not elegance or effortless balance. It still has minerality and fine acidity. A wine to hold to see the development. 88+/100
2013 VALDESACIA “AKILIA”, BIERZO
Very interesting. Palomino and Dona blanca cepages in Bierzo rather than Godilla. It is smoky and very dry. Pure, herbal and clean. Quite playful on the palette and surprisingly mineral for a Bierzo. Apparently the wine maker worked for 7 years at Petrus. I would have guessed this to be a Gruner Veltliner and it matched the vegetable dishes very well. 92/100
SHERRY
EQUIPO NAVAZOS PALO CORTADO NO. 48
Rich, caramelized orange and toffee nose. It is concentrated and dry on the palette which remains fresh throughout and finishes long with saline notes. Exellent pairing with spicy bone marrow and tacos. 94/100